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Evolution Flashcards

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13664278501overproductioneach species produces more offspring than will survive to maturity.0
13664278502camouflageA structural adaptation that enables an organism to blend in with its environment1
13664278503survival of the fittestProcess by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called natural selection2
13664278504competitionInteraction among organisms that vie for the same resource in an ecosystem3
13664278505variationDifferences in traits among individual organisms within a population4
13664278506natural selectionProcess by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest5
13664278507adaptationA trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment6
13664278508mimicryGaining protection by looking and acting like a different species7
13664278509vestigial organan organ that is not functional in an organism, but was functional at some period in its evolution8
13664278510favorable traitsOffspring with favorable traits survive and reproduce, passing on their traits to another generation9
13664278511evolutionChange over time10
13664278512LamarckFrench naturalist who proposed that evolution resulted from the inheritance of acquired characteristics (1744-1829)11
13664278513DarwinA biologist who developed theory of evolution of species (1859). He argued that all living species evolved into their present form through the ability to adapt in a struggle for survival.12
13664278514Galapagos IslandsChain of islands near South America where Darwin developed his theory of natural selection by studying the unique life there.13
13664278515finchesObserved by Darwin. Very similar, but differences can be seen in the size and shape of the bill and/or beak.14
13664278516mutation(genetics) any event that changes genetic structure15
13664278517use and disuseTheory proposed by Lamarck that said body parts develop with increased usage while unused parts weaken. "Use it or lose it!"16
13664278518TraitA characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.17
13664278519HeredityPassing of traits from parents to offspring18
13664278520artificial selectionBreeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with identical traits; SELECTIVE BREEDING19
13664278521FossilsPreserved remains of once-living organisms; evidence for Evolution20
13664278522homologous structuresStructures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry but different because of adaptation to different environments.21
13664278523Analagous Structuressimilar structure without having a common ancestor22
13664278524evolutionary treeA branching diagram that reflects a hypothesis about evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms.23

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